Preview: Jacksonville State at Arkansas

September 01, 2012|Reuters

Tyler Wilson's breakthrough season as Arkansas quarterback in 2011 has Razorbacks' fans begging for more in 2012. The No. 10 Razorbacks, who host Jacksonville State in their season opener on Saturday, will need their entire team to step up if they are to join the nation's elite, which just so happens to reside in their conference. Wilson completed 62.3 percent of his passes and threw 24 touchdowns against only six interceptions in a season which revealed Arkansas to be the third-best team in the SEC. Its two losses came to Alabama and LSU - who met for the national championship - by a combined 79-31. The Razorbacks will find out quickly if they have closed the gap when they host No. 2 Alabama on Sept. 15. Jacksonville State is the defending Ohio Valley Conference champion and is led by Jack Crowe, who was 9-15 at Arkansas before resigning in 1992 after the first game.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, No TV. LINE: None

ABOUT JACKSONVILLE STATE (2011: 7-4, 6-2 OVC): The Gamecocks are led by senior running back Washaun Ealey, a preseason All-American selection who averaged 6.1 yards per carry last season. Jacksonville State is 4-14 against FBS teams, but has only played one ranked team - a 37-17 loss at No. 15 Georgia Tech in 2009. Their last victory over an FBS school came in 2010, when they won at Ole Miss 49-48 in double overtime. Crowe, who was offensive coordinator during Arkansas' 10-2 Southwest Conference championship season in 1989, is 81-52 in 12 years at Jacksonville State, including 32-13 in the last four seasons. Crowe has won three OVC titles. The Gamecocks are 54-17 all-time in the OVC, the highest conference winning percentage (.761) among FCS schools. Jacksonville State finishes its regular season Nov. 17 at Florida.

ABOUT ARKANSAS (2011: 11-2, 6-2 SEC): John L. Smith takes over for Bobby Petrino, who was fired after a motorcycle accident led to the revelation that he had an inappropriate relationship with a member of the support staff. Smith spent the last three seasons as special teams coach at Arkansas. Smith inherits a team which has its highest preseason ranking since it was No. 6 in 1980. Part of the reason is the Razorbacks were 13th in the nation in passing yards with 300.7 per game and 15th in scoring with 36.8 points. Both figures led the SEC. Arkansas is also the only SEC school that returns a quarterback with a 3,000-yard passing season (Wilson: 3,638) and a 1,000-yard rusher. Knile Davis, who missed last season with a broken ankle, rushed for 1,322 yards in 2010 when he was a first-team All-SEC selection and is ready to resume his role as the team's top rushing threat.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Arkansas was 7-0 at home in 2011 and has won 11 straight at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Razorbacks also host LSU this season.

2. The Razorbacks return 24 lettermen on defense, including 15 who have started at least one game.

3. Wilson's top wide receiver is expected to be Cobi Hamilton, who has 85 receptions and 13 touchdowns in his career. His 15.9 yards-per-catch average ranked fifth in the SEC last season.